Drawbacks Of Conventional Direct Radiator Loudspeaker Designs

[Colin]

Worth repeating

Drawbacks
Of Conventional

Direct Radiator Loudspeaker Designs

While horns offer a dramatic
increase in dynamic capability,
image size, and presence, with harmonic distortion less than one quarter
of the
value found in audiophile direct radiator systems, most direct radiators
severely compress dynamic contrasts and reduce image size. In addition,
many
direct radiator designs suffer from dynamic compression coloration,
where the
highs and lows are rolled off at high SPL's, resulting in a perceived
midrange
boost. Many direct radiator designs are not efficient enough to be used
with
low-powered single-ended triodes, and even with high-wattage and
high-current
amplification, these loudspeakers sound polite and uninvolving compared
to high
efficiency loudspeakers. Single-ended tube amplifiers need not apply,
for
obvious reasons (low wattage).

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/Magazine/manufacture/zingali.htm

[colterphoto1]

Bravo and good to meet you at the Klipsch Heritage School SE branch.

Michael

[willland]

While horns offer a dramatic increase in dynamic capability, image size, and presence, with harmonic distortion less than one quarter of the value found in audiophile direct radiator systems, most direct radiators severely compress dynamic contrasts and reduce image size. In addition, many direct radiator designs suffer from dynamic compression coloration, where the highs and lows are rolled off at high SPL's, resulting in a perceived midrange boost. Many direct radiator designs are not efficient enough to be used with low-powered single-ended triodes, and even with high-wattage and high-current amplification, these loudspeakers sound polite and uninvolving compared to high efficiency loudspeakers. Single-ended tube amplifiers need not apply, for obvious reasons (low wattage).

What he said.

Colin,

Now you need to change your avatar with a picture of you sporting that fancy new beard.[Y]

What Colter said. Great to meet you and all the rest of the guys at Marshall's.

Bill

[oldtimer]

Don't criticize his avatar. We are lucky we got him to put a shirt on.

[4tay]

Of course there are drawbacks to any designs. And oh yes...some VERY expensive/highly praised speakers use some cheap parts and measure badly. I never got into the fullrange stuff that rolls off at 13K either. Omission is not fidelity to me.

[russ69]

While horns offer a dramatic increase in dynamic capability, image size, and presence, with harmonic distortion less than one quarter of the value found in audiophile direct radiator systems, most direct radiators severely compress dynamic contrasts and reduce image size. In addition, many direct radiator designs suffer from dynamic compression coloration, where the highs and lows are rolled off at high SPL's, resulting in a perceived midrange boost.

This is a bit of over generalization. I'll agree horns have "dynamic capability" but I don't agree with any of the other statements. There are many fine loudspeaker systems in every design configuration.